MERCYHURST (2-14, 1-2 NEC) vs. KENT STATE (12-13, 4-2 MAC)
Wednesday, March. 25 – 2/4 p.m. 
Kent, Ohio
 
The Mercyhurst softball team takes a short break from conference play as they travel to Kent State on Wednesday afternoon. It marks the first matchup between these two in program history. Game one of the doubleheader will begin at 2 p.m. at the Golden Flashes' Devine Diamond. 
 
Previous Results
The Lakers are 2-14 overall this season and 1-2 in NEC play. They began the season on Friday, Feb. 13 in South Carolina at the Scotsman Invitational. They opened with a pair of games against Albany and the tournament hosts, Presbyterian. Albany beat them, 6-0. The Lakers and Blue Hose played a 17-run thriller that the Lakers led for the first half of the game. Presbyterian came back and beat them, 10-7. On that Saturday, ETSU defeated MU 10-2 in six innings and then Presbyterian ran away with game two, 12-3. 

Mercyhurst then flew to Hawaii for the OUTRIGGER Classic. They fell to Portland State in the first game. However, Jazlynn Sanders had a two-RBI game in the second matchup with the Vikings as the Lakers picked up their first win of the season, 4-2. They fell to Portland State and Hawaii before nearly defeating Hawaii on their final day, losing 7-5. 

They then played a set of four games against the defending Horizon League champions, Robert Morris. The Colonials won all four, but a few Lakers had great performances against a team who was fourth in the nation on batting average at the time. Gabriella DeLuca pitched a complete game in the second contest, only allowing two hits. MU lost 2-0, but both runs were unearned. Karlie Kasten also had four hits in her four at bats. 

Most recently, the Lakers hosted Wagner to begin NEC play. They beat the Seahawks 4-2 in game one in one of their best performances this season. DeLuca pitched a complete game and four strikeouts, with a run and RBI added to her tally. Mackenzie Gillis recorded two RBIs of the Laker's four runs. Wagner won the next two games of the series. 
 
Matchup Insights
This is the first time these two sides have met each other. This matchup is the first time Mercyhurst has ever played a MAC opponent. It is also the second time this season KSU faces an NEC opponent. They played Le Moyne in the Winthrop Garnet and Gold Tournament in South Carolina. The Golden Flash won, 6-5. 

A Pair of Batting Leaders 
Kasten leads the way from the batter's box. In 34 at bats, the Elma, New York native has 14 total bases, 12 hits, three runs, two RBIs, a batting average of .353, an OPS of .801, and a slugging percentage of .412. She also is 2/2 on stolen base attempts. Kasten sits 8th in the NEC in batting average. 
 
Bailey Cannon is second on the team with a .263 batting average. In 38 at bats, the Edinboro, PA native has 15 total bases, 10 hits, five runs, three RBIs, three doubles, and a triple. She also has a OPS of .791 and a slugging percentage of .395.
 
DeLuca Delivers
Gabby DeLuca is among the best pitchers in the NEC standings right now. The Erie native has the fifth-lowest ERA (.406), fourth-lowest opposing batting average (.288), the second-fewest earned runs allowed (12), and is first in the conference with the fewest hits allowed (23). 
 
Prime Performers 
So far, Sanders, DeLuca, and Kasten have earned an NEC Prime Performer award. DeLuca had a stellar weekend in S.C that began her collegiate career in style. In this tournament, the Erie native had a .333 batting average, two runs, two RBIs, three and a two-run moon shot in just nine at bats. 

Sanders earned her Prime Performer award from the Hawaii tournament. Sanders had five hits, five RBIs, and she went yard in one of the games vs. Hawaii. 

Kasten, in four games and 13 at-bats vs. RMU, had nine hits, two RBIs, two stolen bases, one double, one run, total batting average of .377. She also recorded a fielding percentage of 1.000 and made seven catches from center field. Her best game of this four-game series was in game two, where she went four-for-four. 
 
Scouting Kent State  

• The Golden Flashes are 12-13 overall and 4-2 in MAC play to start this season. 
• They opened the season at the Terrier Invite in Spartanburg, N.C. where they went 2-3. Here, they beat IU Indy 11-10 and then beat Monmouth, 9-0 in five innings. 
• Their next tournament was the Winthrop Garnet and Gold Tournament in Rock Hill, S.C. where they went 3-1. They beat RMU, Le Moyne, and Winthrop in this competition. 
• At the UNCG Invitational in Greensboro, N.C., they won another three games. 
• They beat Bucknell 11-3 in five innings, Canisius 7-6 in eight innings, and then Bucknell again 5-4 in eight innings. The tournament hosts, UNC Greensboro, beat them in the next two games. 
• Their biggest competition was the Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa, Ala. They lost to USF, St. Thomas, and No. 7 Alabama. 
• They opened MAC play at home vs. UMass, who they swept in all three games. 
• Most recently, the Kent State played at UB. They lost the first two games and then won game three, 7-1. 
• Ashlyn Porter leads the team with a .371 batting average and 26 hits in 70 at bats. 
• Caleigh Shaulius has the most RBIs (24), an OPS of 1.153, and is tied for fourth in the MAC with seven home runs. 
• In the circle, Riley Miller (5.17) and Meadow Ferri (5.65) have the lowest ERAs. Miller has a WHIP of 1.77, 27 strikeouts and a 7-5 record. 
• Aralyn Nogay is eighth in the MAC and first at KSU with runs scored (26). 
• Megan Claerhout is tenth in the MAC with eight doubles.